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Rió Dulce - Finca Tatin à Livingston

November 15, 2018  —  Guatemala 2
Finca Tatin - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Dortoir pour 5-6 personnes.

During the boat tour, I stopped at this hotel on the Tatin River, a tributary of the Rió Dulce. I slept in one of these dormitories that has spaces for 5-6 people with a toilet and shower inside.

The place is only accessible by boat and is located in dense jungle. It's a small paradise, and the main activity I did was to swim in the river.

Finca Tatin - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Swimming in the river next to the pier.
Finca Tatin - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Rope for the Tarzan in you.
Finca Tatin - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Finca Tatin - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Finca Tatin - Río Dulce - Guatemala
The finca's mascot.

This bird is never in a cage. It lives free, but always stay around the hotel and the staff. The people working here can approach it, but not the visitors. It is wary of foreigners.

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Small hike in the forest

Finca Tatin - Río Dulce - Guatemala

The forest in the area is quite lush, and offers opportunities for hiking. I am back to sea level and the temperature is around 30 degrees. Despite the beauty of the jungle, one hour of hiking is enough for me, I go back to the hotel and I prefer swimming in the river and chatting with other travellers. The water in the river must be around 25 degrees... very nice.

Finca Tatin - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Finca Tatin - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Finca Tatin - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Finca Tatin - Río Dulce - Guatemala
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Kayak trip to Livingston

Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala

Finca Tatin is a place I really liked. Even better than the finca, going down the river with a kayak was a highlight of Guatemala. From the finca, the river meanders in a canyon until the town of Livingston, about 12 km downstream.

For me, the attraction was to navigate close to the cliffs' wall, often under trees and sometimes even under the cliffs. This trip is not very hard since we have the choice to flow with the current of the river. It took me nearly 4 hours to go down and explore the river, and I almost never paddled. It was awesome!

Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala
Kayacking - Río Dulce - Guatemala
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Livingston

Livingston - Guatemala

Livingston is a different village than those I visited in Guatemala. Here, there are very few 'pure' Mayas, but rather the Garifuna people. They have their roots from the island of St-Vincent in the Caribbean. They are shipwrecked African slaves that mixed with the local indigenous population.

The town, still not linked to the rest of Guatemala by road, is located at the mouth of the Rió Dulce. It's an interesting town to explore.

Livingston - Guatemala
Livingston - Guatemala
Livingston - Guatemala
Livingston - Guatemala
Livingston - Guatemala
Livingston - Guatemala
Livingston - Guatemala
Livingston - Guatemala
My room was in this building.

Here is my hotel in Livingston. The strange architecture seems to be a mix between a medieval castle and some Islamic influence. It's rather curious for a town where the people are mainly Christians. Moreover, the hotel is named 'African Place'.

Livingston - Guatemala
Livingston - Guatemala
Livingston - Guatemala
Livingston - Guatemala
Livingston - Guatemala
Livingston - Guatemala
Livingston - Guatemala
Livingston - Guatemala
Livingston - Guatemala
Livingston - Guatemala
Livingston - Guatemala
Livingston - Guatemala
Livingston - Guatemala
The main street.
Livingston - Guatemala
Livingston - Guatemala
The quantity of barbed wire is sometimes surprising.
Livingston - Guatemala